A blog about tabletop hobby and or strategy games, with a side order of electronic turn based goodness here and there. Now with tons of retro gaming content both electronic and tabletop. Also with 20% more self loathing douchebaggery!

Friday, March 19, 2010

An Ongoing Project: Operation Don't Buy So Much Dammit!

Yes. My ongoing mission this year is to drop the amount of gaming products I buy. My primary goal is to spend under 1000 dollars, though I will be happier if I can keep it under 750, and proud of myself if I can keep it under 500.

See money is getting tighter (yay medical bills), but that's really only half of the equation. The other half is the knowledge I am simply not USING what I already have, and its really kind of foolish to buy books and games that won't get played much, if at all.

My Tuesday group has pretty much dropped down to 2 people including myself, and the other guy tends to have a lot going on so at best we maybe get to actually GAME twice a month. We had other people but real life tends to get in the way. (Not to mention one long gone player all but insisted we play on his schedule at his convenience and he changed days off more than some people change their car's oil! Looking back and talking to people, this cost us quite a few of what at one time was nearly a 10 person group.)

And Connecticut gamers being Connecticut gamers, actually trying to meet up with new groups or trying out a new game is all but anathema to them. (Not helped by most people refusing to drive more than 15 minutes from their homes, but expecting me to drive EIGHTY. Seriously.)

If Facebook, posters, talking to existing gamers at 40K pickup games, and using almost every known resource to find players isn't working, why should I even bother buying more stuff?

The answer is: I SHOULD NOT.

And thus, my new little project is born. Every now and then I will make a little post saying what I bought, and why.

You see, keeping track of my purchases and having a year long spending cap is a good way at saving money. I have already passed on a couple things just because it will affect my total limit, and it makes me take a step back and decide if I REALLY need that item.

Now here is my self imposed rules:

1: Stuff sold on ebay can be used to buy new stuff without it affecting the total amount. Its ok to sell off silly things for more silly. Keeps junk out of the house and all.

2: Things like containers, paints, and various hobby supplies that can do other duties don't count.

3: This is only for hobby and tabletop games. Resident Evil 5 for the PS3 won't count. Scrabble would.

4: Game magazines count, but comics and magazines that happen to have some gaming content do not. This means something like Fight On! and Knockspell count, but Knights of the Dinner Table which is a comic with a bunch of hobby games articles does not.

Warhammer 40K Battle Missions. 25. A useful book full of new 40K battles to play. I will be doing a review eventually. The main rulesbook only has 3 missions with 3 setup types. This book adds 33!

Warhammer 40K Codex Tyranids. 25. Its the new Tyranids codex! I play Tyranids. DUH.

So my current total is: 119 by March 19th. So nearly 3 months and I am barely over 10% of my spending limit. If I hadn't placed this restriction on myself I probably would have spent 2-3 times that, income permitting.

I have already passed up on the Doctor Who RPG, 2 more Dark Heresy supplements, and some Battletech books.

Let's see what I can do.

And maybe some of yall out there might want to try to do the same, especially if you are having the luck in getting to play something besides the D&D, 40K, and Magic stranglehold that seems to be the giant monkey on the back of hobby gaming.